


The Origins

by Mattia01



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: But not that much, F/M, I sincerely hope this won't be boring..., I think I can make them justice, The characters may be a bit OOC in this, anyway, the Warriors will be the BEST improvised family EVAR IN EXISTENCE
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 21:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20216365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mattia01/pseuds/Mattia01
Summary: The Origins of the Warriors.The hardships they endured in order to acquire the right for their titan powers and the status of honorary Marleyans for their families.How did they get through the Marleyan oppression and propaganda during their childhood?





	The Origins

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been inspired by and has some similarities with: *Soldiers have something to believe in, Warriors are lonely.*  
Written by GenjiMachinegun.
> 
> It's a very cool story portraying the training the Warriors had to go through to get their titan powers, though it is unfortunately discontinued right now.
> 
> Anyway, this story is a prequel to my future-canon-fanfiction *The Hell on Paradis Island*
> 
> I will write about the Warriors' childhoods and the unbreakable bond they will share.
> 
> Anyway, after this boring ass note, LET'S DIVE IN THE DAMN CHAPTER!!

**December 30, 833**

An agonizing scream tore through the walls of a private clinic as a tall, dark haired man of nearly thirty years restlessly paced around the waiting room.

The man stopped his pacing as he heard the scream, and turned to look at the door of the room from where it came from with irrational anger.

_Why is she screaming so much?! Aren't they supposed to give her something to make it less painful?! _He frantically asked in his mind. He was on the point of burging into the room. His agitated state of mind was what had got him kicked out in the first place unfortunately.

The person calmly sitting on one of the chairs around the room perked up as she noticed the man's intent. 

"Please mister, I already told you to sit and relax. Everything will be fine." She repeated for the umpteenth time before returning to read the newspaper. She wasn't annoyed or upset with the man's behavior however. It didn't happen every day for a man to become a father.

_The sweet joy of becoming a parent._ She thought, somberly remembering her son's own restlessness as his young, beautiful wife gave birth to their first, and sadly, only son.

The man looked at her with slight hostility, "How can you tell me to calm down and relax when Leah is screaming in agony next door?" He could barely restrain himself from shouting.

The older woman looked at him again, "My husband personally supervised the births of both my son and daughter, as well as the birth of my only grandson. Not to mention the countless women he helped through labor, like he is doing with your wife. I don't know anyone who's better for these kind of things. You should relax and be ready to comfort your wife as well as your baby. Trust me, you don't want to be shaking from anxiety when you hold him, or her, in your arms." She advised again.

She didn't think her words would convince him - her earlier attempts had been worthless so far - but it didn't hurt to try.

To her surprise, the man hesitated, and glanced back and forth at one of the chairs near her and at the door that led to the birthing room before releasing a heavy sigh and slowly stepping towards the chair, his towering figure would have been a bit frightening if it wasn't for the expression of pure stress on his face and the slight, nervous shaking of his body.

Another scream of pain resonated inside the clinic. The now sitting man lightly slumped forward, and covered his face with his hands. The woman grimaced a bit, it wasn't comforting to hear your significant other scream...

_Maybe a bit of small talk could distract him?_

"I don't think I ever saw you around here. Is it because you live in a different neighborhood?"

The man glanced at her at the sudden question.

"Um...actually, me and my wife live...I guess two blocks away from here. Anyway, two days ago, the doctor at the hospital told us that Leah was due in about a week if not a bit later. I tried to tell her that she should have just stayed at the hospital until the baby came, but she wanted to stay at home instead. We reached a compromise and I foolishly agreed to accompany her to the hospital tomorrow..." He sighed heavily as she watched him with sympathy.

"As you can see and...hear, her waters broke today. Luckily, I got off work early, and had just a few minutes of peace before...all this..." The tall man rubbed his forehead as another scream from his wife passed through the door. He turned to intently look at said door.

"Your clinic was the closest sanitary building around so I figured it was better to come here, even though I would have preferred the hospital..." A warning bell in his head rung at his words. "N-no offense."

The woman just waved him off, "Don't worry. We know we're not hospital level, but personally, I think we're a pretty good and less expensive option." She whispered jokingly.

They both chuckled.

"Yeah, I think Leah was worried for the hospital fee more than anything..." He trailed off quietly.

The woman smiled slightly, a bit more distraction would do good. More than three hours had already passed since the man's wife had went into labour, if all went well, then the baby would come out at any moment.

"Vincent, right? What jobs do you two have? You don't seem to be struggling economically..." She pointed out, lightly gesturing at him with one hand. He was well groomed and his clothes seemed newly bought. 

He didn't hesitate to respond, and intercrossed his fingers as he did, "Vincent Hoover, and no, we're not really struggling, thank god. I'm a carpenter, one of the good ones of course." She chuckled at the joke,"I get a pretty good pay, so we're okay...but this..." He pointed at his clothes, "Is because I have an incredible seamstress as a wife."

She huffed, "Melanie. Melanie Yeager. And honestly...I feel jealous of your luck."

He chuckled, "During a dinner, her mother told me that when Leah was six. She couldn't even sew a small hole in her skirt properly, even though she had affirmed with a petulant pout that she could do it. She told me that Leah had been cheerless for weeks on end after that." He finished, smiling at the memory.

After a moment, Vincent became aware that it was weird to say something like that to a complete stranger, but the funny story had just escaped him in that moment.

_I guess that's what happens when you're tired, and your baby decides to unexpectedly come out of your wife's belly past 7 p.m. of the evening. _He mused with a small exhale. 

Suddenly, he became aware that the pained moans and screams from his wife had stopped and that a strong, powerful **wail** had replaced it. His heart seemed to stop and almost leap out of his chest as he started to take slow and deep breaths.

_That's...? _

He glanced at Melanie, and she smiled, unnoticeable sadness hidden beneath her soft brown eyes.

"Your future has arrived." She whispered.

Vincent swallowed, stood up, and slowly, almost cautiously walked to the door, it opened before his eyes and out came Dr. Yaeger with a bundle of blankets in his arms.

"Mr. Hoover..." He said over the wail, a surgical mask over his face while his younger assistant was behind him.

Vincent could swear that everything was going in slow motion.

"...It's a boy..."

Vincent inhaled deeply at that, but didn't smile yet. He waited until he had **him** in his arms.

Again, with agonizing slowness, Dr. Yaeger stepped forward and carefully handed the little bundle of blankets over to him.

Vincent watched in awe at the newborn boy in his arms.

**His son.**

Tears came to his eyes, and an overwhelming sense of euphoria, stronger than ever before, washed over him. His son, with Leah's beautiful green eyes - that in that moment stood out among all his other features - was in his arms, strongly wailing like a siren.

_He's so beautiful..._

Melanie smiled at her husband, but the man didn't return her show of happiness behind his mask while his assistant rigidly stood, her spine ramrod straight.

"Sir, do you already have a name for him?"

Vincent raised his head in alarm, having completely forgotten that other people were around him, "Oh...of course...Leah and I...decided that if the baby was a boy, we would call him Bertholdt. I mean, just hear his wail, he'll be even stronger than his father..." He laughed, quickly rubbing his tears away.

"Has Leah seen him?"

The young assistant looked at her feet, while the doctor gave a sad sigh and Melanie's smile slowly fell.

"No...no she hasn't."

Vincent nodded as if he understood, "I see. She must be exhausted. Please, let us stay the night, we'll pay you double for your services." He tried to convince them, already trying to step inside the birthing room.

The elderly man stopped him, "Sir...I am sorry...but your wife sustained an unexpected complication during the birth..." Vincent gaped for a second, and slightly backed away as if struck, the implication of what the doctor was saying was clear now.

He felt as if his soul had been knocked out of his body. He could only listen in horror and despair at what Dr. Yaeger said next.

"I-I am sorry sir...I couldn't do anything...my sincere condolences..."

**Vincent's world collapsed.**

* * *

**January 18, 835**

He emotionlessly walked down the deserted street. There was a slight chill in the evening's air, but Vincent paid it no mind. In a way, he was almost numb to it.

He walked in absolute silence, almost mechanically, for a good ten minutes, before finally reaching his destination.

He gently - but at the same time - firmly knocked on the door.

Half a minute passed before a familiar woman with a sleeping, one year old boy in her arms, opened the door.

"Oh, Vincent, we thought you wouldn't come today. Do you want to come in? It's late outside, and the guest room is free..."

"Thank you, but I think I'll just take him and go home."

"Are you sure? We can make space for you, you know? I just don't want anything bad to happen..."

"Nothing will happen Melanie, don't worry." Vincent sighed tiredly.

The older woman reluctantly nodded, and handed the sleeping little boy over to his father before going back inside the house to find the leather bag with all the things for the boy.

She returned it to Vincent after walking back to the front door.

"Pass my thanks over to Frank when he wakes up. Goodnight Melanie." Vincent said, adjusting the strap over his right shoulder while starting to walk away.

"Goodnight Vincent." The woman stayed outside and looked at them until the taller man turned a corner in the street, and disapperared from her line of sight. She sighed softly before closing the door.

Ten minutes later, Vincent reached for his keys with his right hand while securely keeping Bertholdt against his other shoulder with his free arm. He opened the front door to his house and after passing through, closed it with his left leg, making sure to lock it right after.

The child in his arms made a few, sleepy, incoherent sounds as Vincent made a few steps forward and left his leather bag down on the kitchen table along with his keys, before heading upstairs, towards his son's room.

He deposited the sleeping boy inside his crib and just...watched him roll over to his left side while softly snoring.

Vincent **loved** the sight, but he didn't smile...he never did after **that** day.

He watched his son sleep for some time while thinking to himself.

_He looks just like you Leah...he's beautiful, and I didn't take care of him properly...I'm sorry. _

He had missed the moment Bertholdt pronounced his first word, which Melanie had reported to be...

** _'Mama'_ **

He had missed the moment his son took his first steps, exactly a month before his first birthday.

He had missed so many things, and he would continue to miss these things because he needed his work to survive, and build a future for his son.

_The first months after your death have been the hardest of my life Leah._

The Yaeger family had helped him through the grief and had kept his son safe while he was a pathetic mess. He still wondered why they had helped him. Anyone else would have tried to forget about him and go on with their life...but not them.

Was it because they had lost their daughter and their son, and for them, it felt good to take care of a baby? Or because it had been the very first time a woman died in their clinic while giving birth?

Vincent wasn't sure. He had learned much about them, and after those revelations, Frank and Melanie told him that he could leave Bertholdt with them while he went to work, effectively sparing the money he would have had to use for a babysitter.

Sometimes, he wondered if his son would be better off with the Yaegers as parents.

He didn't like the idea, but his mind wandered and he couldn't stop himself from thinking about it.

The Yaegers were obviously attached to his son now, and even though Vincent was jealous and angry over the moments the Yaegers had passed with his boy, he knew that he was lucky to have a family look out and care for the only important thing he had left.

Leah's parents were dead, along with Vincent's own parents and any other relative of theirs.

_What would you say about that Leah? What would you think...about my thoughts? It seems like Bertholdt doesn't really need me...it's honestly more about me needing him..._

The only thing that kept Vincent going at this point, was Bertholdt.

But with how things were going, his son would have been better off becoming a doctor. It was a very rewarding job even for Eldian standards.

Suddenly, he noticed Bertholdt slowly roll to his back and open his green eyes to look straight into his own brown ones. Father and son shared a strange look before Bertholdt sleepily babbled, "Ba-baba." and then closed his eyes, snoring back to sleep while starting to suck his thumb.

Vincent looked at his son in shock. Did Bertholdt just try to call him papa?

An uncertain amount of time passed before Vincent became aware of the tears running down his face.

He carefully raised Bertholdt from his crib, and gently squeezed him to his chest.

He was never gonna let go of his son. No way in hell. Unless he was sure it was for his son's own good, Vincent would **never** let Bertholdt go.

* * *

**October 6, 838**

"About 1200 years ago, the Eldian Empire used the terrible power of the titans to destroy the great Marleyan city of Lago. At dawn, the titans abruptly emerged from the lake near the city, and attacked it. At the time, there were no such things as cannons or explosives to contrast their inhuman strenght and their horrifying size. The city watch could do nothing other than buy time for all the citizens to escape...the only way for them to do that, was to distract and eventually be eaten by the titans...are you listening Bertholdt?"

"O-of course dad..." Replied the little toddler with his cute voice, "...it's just... uncomfortable to hear..."

The stories his father recounted to him, always haunted the almost five year old's dreams at night.

_Why do I have to learn such scary stories? We never have time for a happy one like with aunt Melanie..._

"I know, but I need you to understand all of these stories very well...they're important for you." Vincent continued, calling his son's complete attention back to him once more.

Bertholdt nodded meekly, and with that, Vincent cleared his throat and continued the story, "As I was saying: the city watch of Lago tried to distract the titans, but the valiant efforts of those brave men were in vain. The titans climbed or broke through the city walls, and brutally devoured all the Marleyans in their reach, razing the city to the ground in the process." Vincent fell in a hard fit of coughing, and quickly drank from a glass of water before returning to read the history book. 

"Sorry. So...the titans then proceeded to invade the neighboring cities of Monte and Valle. Hundreds of thousands of Marleyans died before sunset. Everything happened in less than twenty-four hours. The lucky inhabitants of the three cities that managed to escape were forced to wander through the territory...but the Eldian Empire had already sent titans to guard their escape routes. After dawn, the titans awoke and proceeded to eat all the survivors." Vincent finally closed the book, satisfied by the fact that Bertholdt had fidgeted nervously during the whole story.

"Okay, that's enough for today." Vincent checked his pocket watch, and realized it was time to go.

"It looks like it's time to go to aunt Melanie." Bertholdt looked at him sadly, "Can we not play together later?"

"I think you meant to say 'Can't we play together later'." Bertholdt briefly realized his mistake before his father continued, "Anyway, of course we can. I'll be all yours the moment I get back. And that's a promise." Vincent helped his small son down the chair and ruffled his little mop of hair affectionately.

Grabbing his leather bag and the suitcase with his tools, Vincent headed towards the door with Bertholdt's incredibly small hand in his own left hand's grasp.

Several hours later, in the late afternoon, Bertholdt was sitting at a table, performing simple grammar and math exercises while Melanie read some newspaper, and occasionally checked up on his work.

It had always been like this. There weren't any schools inside the Internment zones, so kids had to be taught everything from their parents or their relatives. It was also for this reason that children used to inherit their parents' work instead of finding their own.

Fortunately, the Yaeger household was better off than most eldians since having a doctor paid very well. They also had an incredible amount of books to use for instruction purposes, and Bertholdt didn't miss the chance to learn anything he could, though his father and the Yaegers had had to make him understand the importance of knowledge at the start.

Bertholdt passed several more minutes doing exercises before puffing tiredly, and dropping his pen on the book.

"Can we do something else now?" 

Melanie raised her eyes to look at him.

_He has been doing his homework for quite some time. We did do some reasonable breaks in between though..._

The woman turned to glance at the clock attached to the wall behind her. 

_Oh well, he got tired later than usual, so it's okay._

"Alright..." She replied accomodatingly. Her eyes lit up right then and there. "I know just the thing." She got up and headed towards a cupboard, opening it and reaching for something that Bertholdt couldn't quite see.

Finally, she turned around and showed him a board with alternating black and white squares. "This is a chess board. My grandson and I used to play this all the time, he liked chess a lot." She added a bit somberly.

Bertholdt was confused. He had never seen or heard about Melanie's grandson, and he had no idea why he was never around. Of course, he knew that the Yaegers weren't related to him by blood, even though he and his father called them aunt and uncle sometimes.

"Where is he now?" The little boy asked while Melanie searched around for the chess pieces.

"Oh, he's part of the military. He's currently training in the Warrior program." She replied.

Bertholdt's little brows furrowed, "What's that?"

Melanie turned around with a bit of surprise, realizing that Vincent may not have explained what the military, or the Warrior program, were.

"Do you know what the military is?"

"Yeah...it's like the city guard of the ancient cities of Marley...right?" He asked uncertainly. 

Melanie nodded, smiling slightly, "That's almost correct, just remember that the work of the city guard is today replaced by the...Marleyan Organization of Public Security..." She added slowly, almost hesitantly. "...on the contrary, the military and the army, not only defend us from attackers, but also brings the fight to our enemies."

Bertholdt suddenly became nervous. "We have enemies?" Aunt Melanie nodded after a second, "Yeah, bad people who wish arm upon us...like the eld-devils on Paradis Island."

The green eyed four year old had always heard those words: **bad **and** devils**. More times than he knew how to count, it had been explained to him that eldians; his father, the Yaegers, and himself, were bad peop- _No...**devils**. _He mentally corrected himself.

But the real meaning of the words; bad and devil, escaped him every time. He had never been mistreated by anyone he had met. Not by his father, not by uncle Frank, and not by aunt Melanie, so why were they bad devils? And why was he a bad devil? He knew that his ancestors had done horrible, terrifying things, but **he** hadn't done anything bad...right?

Every time he asked himself that question, a feeling of fear and shame buried itself deep inside his gut. What if he had actually done something bad, something terrible, that he didn't remember? Maybe that's why he didn't have a mom. Maybe she had become scared and ran away from him, after he committed some horrible, despicable action, just like his ancestors...

The sole thought of that often made him cry at night...he must have done something that scared his mom away, but he was too fearful to ask his father on what it could have been. 

"The Warrior program is also part of the military. The strongest and smartest and most courageous eldians submit themselves to an arduous training, and if they are skilled enough, they earn the honor to receive **one of the seven titan** **powers in Marley's possession, and effectively achieve the rank of Warrior...thus, becoming recognized with the social status of honorary Marleyans for themselves and their families...**"

Bertholdt returned to listen to what Melanie was saying, and perked up in curiosity at the words **_'honorary Marleyans'_**.

He had received a slight explanation on what titan powers were during some of his lessons. But it was the first time someone talked to him about the Warrior program, and the _social status of honorary Marleyan._

"What do you mean by 'honorary Marleyans?'" He asked.

Melanie raised her sharp eyebrows in surprise. 

_If he didn't know about the Warrior program, it's only natural that he doesn't know about the honorary Marleyan status..._

_Bertholdt should know about it...it would only do him good to understand how things are in this world...the sooner the better..._

"The status of honorary Marleyan gives special privileges to the Warriors and their families. The Warriors are pretty much Marley's most important assets. So, because of their great service and allegiance to our great nation, their families can take advantage of privileges that no other eldian family has: advanced medical treatment, money for retirement, even an estate outside of the internment zones that the Warriors' families can decide to move to..."

"Oh, but what's an estate?"

Melanie smiled, "It's an usually large house on the coutryside with a considerate patch of land around it. Personally, I never had the chance to see something like that, but it is said that those places are beautiful."

Bertholdt tried to imagine what Melanie had described, but couldn't since he had never seen great open spaces.

"So...your grandson is training to become a Warrior?"

"Yes, that's right."

"But why can't he visit us after training?"

Melanie smiled again, with a bit of sadness this time though, "He's arrived at a certain stage of training that must have him completely focused without any distractions."

Bertholdt's cute little face frowned, "You're not distractions..."

The woman's heart warmed, "I know sweetheart, but you'll understand these things one day." Melanie told him before remembering what they were about to do. She finally reached for the little bag containing the chess pieces and then walked to Bertholdt.

"Well, why don't we focus on what we were about to do?"

Bertholdt's normal expression returned and he nodded eagerly.

They passed the rest of the afternoon playing chess, Melanie obviously explaining him the rules since Bertholdt didn't know anything about the game. Eventually, the dark haired child became irritated because of the fact that he forgot some of the rules as they played. They decided to play some other table games and even played hide-and-seek before Frank returned from the clinic. 

As they usually did, they had dinner together and then waited for Vincent to come take Bertholdt home.

But the little boy's father didn't come. In fact, almost two days passed before he finally showed up at their doorstep once more.

It was late evening when the Yaegers, huddling around a crying, desperate Bertholdt at the kitchen table, heard knocks at the door. 

Frank watched through the peephole before quickly opening the door.

"What the hell happened to you?!" He asked in alarm, looking up at Vincent's face, full of bruises and small cuts.

Vincent winced in pain, his hand clutching his gut. "I was mugged..." He said.

Frank went to his left side and put Vincent's other arm over his shoulder. 

Bertholdt ran towards his father and hugged his leg. The difference between their heights was great, so it was natural that the only thing the boy could hug was his father's leg.

"Where were you?! I thought you abandoned me!!" Bertholdt cried desperately, making his father's heart clench tightly.

Melanie took the boy in her arms as Vincent started to almost shout. "Bertholdt, I would never abandon you. Don't ever think like that, please!!" Both Hoovers were a mess, Bertholdt was incorrigible as he cried over Melanie's shoulder, and Vincent was almost on the point of shedding tears because of what his son said.

Melanie tightly hugged Bertholdt to her chest as she started to walk upstairs towards the guest room. Meanwhile, Frank tried to calm an agitated Vincent, "Calm down. Children say things like that sometimes, it's nothing special. You'll talk to him after you both calm down..." 

If he wasn't as hurt as he was, Vincent would have brushed Frank aside and walked upstairs to talk to his son. Instead, he silently listened to Frank while the older man helped him sit on their sofa.

The constant crying Bertholdt had submitted himself throughout the day had exhausted him, and as Melanie laid him down on the bed of the guest room, covering him with a soft blanket, the boy almost fell asleep, but immediately after Melanie closed the door, his mind screamed at him to get up.

And get up he did.

_Dad just got back, I won't let him leave me again... _

He silently exited the room, leaving the door barely open, and walked to the edge of the stairs, straining his ears to hear the discussion below him.

"What the hell happened to you? Where have you been?" Melanie asked angrily.

Frank was tending to Vincent's cuts while the latter held a small pack of ice to his face.

"Where's Bertholdt?"

"He fell asleep. He's been crying the whole day for you." She whispered furiously.

Vincent looked in front of him, his head felt like it was about to explode and his body hurt all over.

"I was mugged while getting back from work. A group of kids jumped me from outside the Internment zone, they must have been Marleyans, so I didn't fight back. They almost beat me to death, and succeeded in making me lose consciousness. Then, yesterday's afternoon, I woke up in a Marleyan hospital to find out that they stole my tools as well as the few coins I brought with me. I was so hurt I practically couldn't move much less walk. To top all of that off, the Marleyan Public Security interrogated me on what happened. I told them all I knew, of course, I didn't say I wanted retribution from the thieves. Demanding something like that would have only brought me more trouble..."

Melanie's expression became more worried after hearing the story. "What did the Public Security officers do...?"

"Nothing much. They just said they wanted me to stay at the hospital while they checked whether I was telling the truth or not. They returned and let me go at least thirty minutes ago, and even gave me a lift to the gate of the Internment Zone."

Melanie had a well-hidden, hateful expression on her face before she asked another question, "What about the kids, did they steal anything important...?"

"Yeah, my tools were pretty important, but I can get new ones from my shop so it's not that much of a problem, and thankfully, I practically had no money on me since I always leave it home in case things like this happened."

Melanie nodded understandingly while Frank put another small plaster over one of Vincent's many cuts, making the taller man wince slightly.

"But now you have to pay a fee to the Marleyan hospital don't you?"

Vincent stayed silent for more than a minute, and Frank and Melanie took it as a yes until Vincent finally spoke, "There is something else you should know..."

The eavesdropper above the stairs strained his ears at the sudden silence that enveloped the house after his father's sentence. "I discovered that I have lung cancer..."

Bertholdt froze. He remembered to have read about something called cancer on one of uncle Frank's medical books, and the only thing that had etched into his mind was that...

_...Cancer is deadly..._

There was complete silence for several moments as everyone took in this sudden revelation.

"The Marleyan doctor, with a bit of disgust, checked if I had any broken bones...he seemed shaken, even worried after the body check...he told me what made him so jumpy and...then we sat together in silence for a while. He took pity on me and didn't give me any fee. He said that they didn't even do anything special to help me other than giving me a bed and a roof. He said that any other Marleyan who takes the same check as me pays almost nothing even for **our** standards." Vincent ended the story, which was told in a low voice, just slightly above a whisper.

"Oh god." Melanie whispered, sitting on another chair.

"Why...? How...?"

Vincent tried to swallow down the lump in his throat, "I used to smoke when I was a bit younger...but...it must be because of the work I do outside the Internment Zone."

Frank nodded, a sad look in his eyes. The old man was always very collected even in the most horrible situations, "I had a few cases of cancer from eldians around here. The work the Marleyans give us is always the most health-damaging."

Vincent gripped his knees hard, "I wanted to keep this to myself but I realized that...I needed to know...if you could take care of Bertholdt when I'm gone..."

The Yaegers; Melanie already tearing up, and Frank fighting to keep his composure, looked at Vincent with slight surprise before Melanie brokenly laughed, "Of course we will, we would never abandon him, you're both family."

Frank turned and briskly walked away from them, sighing in exhaustation, "Why can't we have a break...?" He started whispering, just loud enough for all the occupants in the house to hear him, "Why can't we have the same rights as everyone else...? Why can't we properly cure our sick...? Why do we have to see our sons and daughters die...? What did we ever do to deserve thiiiiiis??!!" Frank kneeled to the ground and started to scream at the top of his lungs. The man was having a complete breakdown. 

Just on top of the stairs, Bertholdt, who had been crying and at the same time half-listening to what was being said, was startled by the sudden noise, and ran back inside his room, the sound of his footsteps completely covered by Frank's continuous screaming.

The small child closed and slid down the door. His chest heaving in erratic breaths.

_Dad is gonna die. Dad is gonna die. DAD IS GONNA DIE!! _He screamed in his mind.

His body was shaking. His hands tightly gripped his hair.

_I'm going to be alone. I'm going to be alone. I'M GOING TO BE ALONE!!_

He didn't want to live with the Yaegers, he loved them sure, but none of the countless moments he passed with them had been more exciting than the few he had passed with his father. 

He wanted to stay with his father forever.

But he was gonna die...

_Father is going to die..._

Suddenly, Melanie's words from two days before, invaded his mind.

** _"The status of honorary Marleyan gives special privileges to the Warriors and their families. The Warriors are pretty much Marley's most important assets. So, because of their great service and allegiance to our great nation, their families can take advantage of privileges that no other eldian family has: advanced medical treatment, money for retirement, even an estate outside of the internment zones that the Warriors' families can decide to move to..."_ **

_Advanced medical treatment..._

Bertholdt's sobs slowly calmed at this thought.

Days later, after skimming through several medical books of Frank's collection, he found his answer.

* * *

**January 2, 840**

He put the few amount of articles of his wardrobe inside the green, small backpack he had been gifted by his father three days ago.

His house was always silent at night, but to be fair, the whole of the Internment Zone usually always was.

So, the reason he heard a small noise behind him was probably because his nerves were shot.

He quickly turned to look.

There was nothing. It had just been a creak of the old, wooden floor boards.

Bertholdt gave a small sigh, checking that he had put everything he might need later.

_What if I get in trouble because I bring my own clothes? _He asked himself, quickly discarding his fear a second later. _No, that's impossible. The flyer said that it was better to bring some clothes of my own possession..._

Wiping off the sweat on his left brow with the sleeve of his coat, Bertholdt closed his backpack and passed onto the next thing in line just after the snacks.

**The note.**

He checked it again, reading his own messy handwriting with a bit of difficulty.

_If you're reading this, then it means you've just woken up on the morning of the 2nd of January, and I am probably boarding the military truck at the eastern gate of the Internment Zone. I'm sorry if you're feeling sad or upset as you read this note, but I'm doing this because I want to be with you forever...A little more than a year ago, you came to get me at the Yaegers' house after you were mugged...I was upset with you, and so, aunt Melanie tucked me in bed. I almost fell asleep, but...a moment later, I got up, walked out of the room, and crouched at the edge of the stairs to hear everything that you said to uncle Frank and aunt Melanie. I had read something regarding cancer from one of uncle Frank's medical books, so I knew what it meant when you said you had it. When uncle Frank started to scream, I ran back inside the guest room. I felt horrible, I couldn't get out of my head the fact that you would die and I would be left alone. I didn't want you to leave me alone with the Yaegers...but it was in that moment that I remembered something aunt Melanie told me two days prior. Aunt Melanie told me about the Warrior program. About how the eldians that have the enough skill to receive a titan power are given status of honorary Marleyans and their families become the most privileged eldians in the world. I can make it so that you'll have the medical treatment you need. I read about the therapies that can cure cancer, and I understood that you can receive them only if you're a honorary Marleyan...So, during the last year, I trained around the house when the Yaegers were too occupied with the clinic, and you couldn't bring me to your shop. That's why sometimes you found bruises on my body and I always explained that I slipped while I walked around the house...Well, I did slip onto the floor sometimes...while running with the heaviest things I could carry...I'm sorry to have kept all of this from you, but I think that you wouldn't have let me train at all if I told you my intent..._

_But don't worry, I'll become a Warrior and save you dad. I promise._

**_I promise._**Bertholdt thought decisively. 

Keeping the note in his right hand's grasp, Bertholdt pulled the straps of his backpack over his shoulders and silently walked out of his room. He turned right, and stood in front of his father's bedroom. He slowly opened the door, wincing and thinking that maybe he should leave the note on something that wasn't his father's nightstand. But he immediately pushed the more rational thought aside.

_I'm gonna be a Warrior. I'm gonna save dad. An old noisy door isn't gonna stop me._

He entered inside his father's bedroom and immediately noticed his tall, wide figure sprawled out on the bed, covers draping over everything but him.

He walked to the nightstand on the right side of the bed - the closest to the door - and laid the torn piece of paper that was his note on top of it.

He stepped out of the room and slowly closed the door. He exhaled deeply. That had made him much more nervous than he had realized.

He walked down the stairs and got a bright red ray of sunlight directly in his eyes.

He opened the front door, gazing at the orange sun in the distance.

It was the dawn of a new day.

He closed the door.

**Author's Note:**

> Much love to who I think is a very talented writer (bipabrena) if she's reading this.
> 
> ABSOLUTELY check out her profile and her stories if you love AOT.
> 
> Please report any grammar mistakes you see, and also leave a comment to let me know what you guys think.
> 
> Thank you in advance!!


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